On Friday, the world was informed of the devastating news of Sharon Jones' death. I feel so fortunate that I not only had the opportunity to watch Jones and her very talented band two years ago, but I was also assigned to photograph the show.

Sharon Jones at Heritage Square Park: Photo by Melissa Fossum

Any concert at Heritage Square Park in downtown Phoenix is a delight, but this show was especially delightful. It was one of the best concerts I have seen in Phoenix.

It breaks my heart that both Sharon Jones and my mom suffered due to pancreatic cancer. Jones put up a great fight and battled the disease for three years. I, like many in the music community, am devastated by Jones' passing.

Here are a few of my favorite shots from the Heritage Square park show.

Wow, what a night! I was thrilled to see Australia's rockabilly/punk powerhouse The Living End kick off their US tour at Mesa's Nile Theater. It's been over a decade since the trio has performed in the Phoenix metro area and much of the West Coast.

I know it's rare for me to post photos the night of a show, but I wanted to get these pictures up ASAP, because I'm sure folks who are going to see TLE perform on this tour are eager for some feedback.

The band played a good balance of old and new songs. The first batch of songs was "Second Solution," "Roll On," and "Pictures in the Mirror," which was pretty amazing. My only complaint was that Chris Cheney's vocals seemed to be a little low compared to the rest of the mix. I've seen this happen a lot with bands kicking off their tours in Phoenix then heading to California, though, so I wouldn't be too concerned!

PEARS: Photo by Melissa Fossum

I did something crazy at this show. PEARS and Direct Hit! were playing in the basement, so I ran back and forth between both shows. I had seen Direct Hit! live before and I am consistently impressed. This was my first time seeing PEARS and it was a good reminder as to why I got into punk photography in the first place. It was amazing to stand near the singer and capture the moment as the crowd went wild for the band's Ramones cover.

Without further ado, check out my slideshow!

The Living End

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

The Living End

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

The Living End

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

The Living End

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

The Living End

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

The Living End

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

The Living End

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

The Living End

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

The Living End

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

The Living End

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

The Living End

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

The Living End

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

The Living End

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

The Living End

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

The Living End

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

PEARS

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

PEARS

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

PEARS

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

PEARS

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

PEARS

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

PEARS

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

PEARS

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

Direct Hit!

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

Direct Hit!

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

Direct Hit!

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

Direct Hit!

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

Direct Hit!

Photo by: Melissa Fossum

Now I'm looking forward to getting a few hours of sleep before work tomorrow. Was it worth it? Absolutely. If The Living End has not sold out their tour date in your city yet, I would highly recommend getting tickets.

Last week I had the pleasure of shooting all four of these bands back to back. I was surprised that these big bands allowed photographers to shoot from the pit, not the soundboard. I'm not complaining, I'm thrilled with how these photos all turned out!

Simon Le Bon of Duran Duran: Photo by Melissa Fossum

I saw Duran Duran for the first time during my first Coachella in 2011. I was very impressed with their stage presence, and last week's show was no exception, even though I only saw the first three songs due to photo restrictions.

Dom Brown of Duran Duran: Photo by Melissa Fossum

Duran Duran was a delight to shoot. The band was energetic and the lighting was perfect. I would love to photograph them again!

Openers Chic were so spectacular that I feared that Duran Duran would fall short. I'm ashamed to say that I was unaware of the extent of Nile Rodgers' legacy until seeing Chic perform live. Songs like Daft Punk's "Get Lucky" were definitely a surprise!

Chic: Photo by Melissa Fossum

Rodgers' back up vocalists were a blast to watch as well.

Chic: Photo by Melissa Fossum

Panic! at the Disco: Photo by Melissa Fossum

Onto Weezer and Panic! at the Disco. Getting to this show was a nightmare due to the "100 year flood," which trapped me in downtown Phoenix. Unfortunately, I was unable to photograph Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, but I heard the show was great.

Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco: Photo by Melissa Fossum

PATD is always a delight to shoot thanks to Brendon Urie's very energetic stage presence.

Weezer's Rivers Cuomo: Photo by Melissa Fossum

As a lifelong Weezer fan, I was over the moon at an opportunity to shoot the band. The opening backdrop of California imagery made it all the better.

I've always loved Brand New, so I feel privileged that I was able to photograph the band twice. The first time was Chicago Riot Fest in 2013, which was rife with issues. I've shot outdoor shows in the rain a few times, but as an Arizona native, I expect the rain to disappear in less than an hour. Chicago rain is a whole new animal. I sifted around in the mud struggling to shoot bands like Suicidal Tendencies and The Broadways.

Brand New at Chicago Riot Fest: photo by Melissa Fossum

The second time I photographed Brand New was at last year's Summer Ends Music Festival. I was thrilled to be there and shoot great bands like Jimmy Eat World and Spoon, but this was the last night that my 70-200 lens worked. It malfunctioned in the middle of Brand New's set. I was not happy, but I did what I could given the circumstances.

Perhaps the third time will be a charm, as Brand New and Modest Mouse are coming to Phoenix later this month. In the meantime, I'll do what I can to avoid bad luck.

I've been at one Riot Fest to date, and it was one of the most enjoyable festivals I've attended yet. For one, it's in Chicago, one of my favorite cities to visit. Two, the line up is the perfect combination of my interests. Usually I will only see indie bands (i.e. Coachella) or punk bands (Punk Rock Bowling) at a festival, but Riot Fest and Los Angeles' FYF Fest are a great middle ground.

Blondie: photo by Melissa Fossum

Blondie's set in particular was a blast. I never thought I'd have the opportunity to photograph this seminal new wave and punk band.

Blondie: photo by Melissa Fossum

Pus, Debbie Harry was totally fierce and came out dressed like a wizard. This makes Debbie one of the coolest 71 year olds I can think of. Happy birthday, may it be as magnificent as you are!